Inking device for printing-presses.



W. N. BATES.

INKING DBVIOB FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED 1111.10. 1911.

1,001,576, Patented Aug.22, 1911.

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W. N. BATES.

INKING DEVICE POR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLIGATION FILED humo, 1911.

1,001,576. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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W. N. BATES.

INKING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLIoATloN rILnD 1,111.10, 1911.

1,001,576. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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WALTER N. BATES, OF WESTVOOD, MASSACHUSETTS.

INKING DEVICE FOR inerme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PRINTING-PRESSES.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application filed January 1G, 1911. Serial No. 601.891.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

lle it known that l. Vilar/run N. ivres, a. citizen ot the llnited States otl America. and a. resident o't lllestwood, in the county ot Norfolk and State otIvl'assachusctts.ha\'e invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in lnking Devices for Printing Presses, oit' which the following is z. specilication.

This invention relates to ink distributing apparat-us l'or printing presses, and is especially designed for cylinder presses. lts principal objectr` is to provide a means t'or automatically distrilmting the ink7 whereby an equal amount ot ink is always spread over the type form, so that when an iu1pres sion is made such impression will be even throughout and be itree trom streaks and uneven shades.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement ot parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description et" the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Ot' the drawings: Figure l represents a. side elevation of a portion ot a cylinder press showing` the ink distributing appa- 1atus with the present, invention applied thereto. Fig. 9. represents a` longitudinal vertical section ot the ink distributing apparatus7 drawn to an enlarged scale, the, cutting plane being on line 27H2 on Fig. f3. Fig. 3 represents a plan of one end ot' that portion ot' the printing press and ink distrib uting apparatus shown in Fig. l. Fig. L represents a transverse vertical section, the cutting plane being on line -^t-fl on Fig. 2. looking in the direction oft the arrow, said ligure being drawn to an enlarged scale. and Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section ot the parts shown in Fig. 2 and looking in the opposite direction and showing the devices 'for operating the, trans'tcr roller.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures ot the drawings.

.ln the drawings 10 represents the Jframe ot' a. printing press of any usual construeA tion7 having mounted in suitable bearings in the standard .l1 the revoluble shaitt- 1Q. to which is secured so as to revolve therewith the cylinder 13.

ln a suitable t'ran'iework 11textzending upwardly ilroni the iframe 10 is the usual ink fountain T15. This 't'ountain 15 is provided with the usual fountain roll 1,6, which may he ot' any well-known construction and is provided with trunnions 't7 and IS. revolubly mounted in suitable bearings 'lorlned in the ends otE the ink fountain l5. rl`o the trunnion 17 is secured a sprocket wheel '19, which is connected by means ol a chain 2O with a sprocket wheel Q1 secured to and revoluble with the sha't't 1Q ot the cylinder lil. lre'lerably the trunnion '1T and sha'tt '1Q are connected m this manner so as to revolve in unison, but it is quite obvious that they may be connected by means ot gears. belts. or any other instrumentalities provided they are caused to revolve in unison.

'lo the trunnion '1S ot the 'fountain roll '1G is secured a gear 22, which meshes with and drives a gear Q3 secured to the trunnion 24; ot" a grinder roll 25 positioned within the tountain 15 and held in contact with the 'Fountain roll i6 by the adjustable forked members 2G bearing against the trunnion Qlt at one end ot said grinding roll and the trunnion Q7 at the other end thereof.

The Afountain roll 16 moves in the direction ot the arrow ai. see Fig. 9, while the grinding roll 25 revolves in the opposite direction. lt is obvious, therefore. that when the ink within the Fountain l5 becomes lumpy, it will be -torced downwardly hctween these two rolls. thereby `grinding it to a proper consistency tor use.

(lo-acting with the fountain roller itt is a scraper plate 28 which regulates the amount; ot ink that may pass trom the fountain on the periphery ot the 'fountain roller itt. This scraper plate 28 and the meirhanism 'tor adjusting the same are ot. the usual construction and 'lorm no part ot the present invention. and tor this reason the details ot adjustment are omitted in the drawings.

On a reciprocating bed 2f) between the side 'trames 10 is supported the, chase 80, carrying the type form 3l. this chase being caused to reciprocate with the bed 29 by means ot' thc projections $32 -Formed upon or secured to the reciprocating bed Q9. As the reciprocating bed and the mechanism -for operating saine are otE any well-known construction and ilorm no part oi the present invention.` the details ot construction tor operating same are omitted trom the drawings.

Adjustably mounted upon the framework llt are the supports B3, carrying the `form inking rollers 34. Superimposml upon the toria inking rollers 34k is a metal ink distributing roller 35, revolubly mounted in the framework 14 and having superimposed thereon a composition ink distributing` roller 36.

The trunnion 37 of the metal ink distributing roller 35 has secured thereto a gear 38 which meshes with an intermediate gear 39, in turn meshing with a rack 40 secured by suitable screws 41 to the side face of the reciprocating frame 29. It is obvious that by means of the rack 40 and the gears 38 and 39, whenever the frame 29 reciprocates the ink distributing roller 35 is moved alternately in opposite directions.

In suitable bearings in the framework 14 is mounted an oscillating shaft 42, having splined thereto at one end an arm 43, and

, at its opposite end another arm 44. Revolubly mounted in the outer ends of the arms 43 and 44 is a transfer roller 45. The arm 43 has an extension 45X, to the outer end of which is pivotally connected the reciprocating member 46, the lower end of which is adapted to reciprocate in a guide opening 47 formed in the hub 48 on the frame 10. Between the hub 48 and a shoulder 49 on the member 46 is interposed a spring 50 which normally retains the transfer roller 45 in contact with the composition ink distributing roller 36. The memberl 46 has also secured thereto a projection, preferably a roller 51, with which engages the cam surface 52 of the rack 40. As the rack 40 moves in the direction of the arrow 7), see Fig. 5, the cam surface 52 will act upon the roller 51 to move the arms 43 and 44 about the axis Aof the shaft 42 so that the transfer roller 45 is brought into contact with the fountain roller 16.

The rack member 40 is also provided with a straight face 53, forming` a continuation of the cam surface 52. Then the movable bed 29 has been moved in the direction of the arrow 5, Fig. 5, sufficiently far for the roller 51 to be acted upon by this face 53, the transfer roller 45 will be in contact with the fountain roller 16, and will remain in such contact until the movable bed 29 has moved in the opposite direction sufficiently for the said roller 51 to again engage with the cam surface 52, when the spring 50 will act to move the transfer roller into Contact with the ink distributing roller 36. The size of the sprocket wheel 19 is so proportioned relative to the length of time that the roller 51 is in contact with the straight face 53 that the rotation of the fountain roller caused by the movement of said sprocket wheel will be just sufficient to impart a single revolution to the transfer roller 45 before it is moved from Contact with said fountain roller, when the roller 51 again reaches the cam surface 52. in other words, the roller 51 reciprocates along the surface 53 agiven distance, and during` this reciprocation in Contact transfer roller 45.

with the face 53 the transfer roller 45 coinpletes a single cycle about its axis, and is then immediately removed from Contact with the fountain roller, this separation from contact with the fountain roller being effected by means of the spring` 50.

By positively driving the fountain roller 16, an even distribution of the ink in the fountain 15 is made and transferred to the Owing tothe fact that this transfer roller is yieldingly held in contact with the fountain roller during its rotation just long enough for the transfer roller 45 to make one complete revolution,

it is self-evident that an equal amount of ink will be received by said' transfer roller throughout its entire periphery. In no case can the transfer roller remain in contact with the fountain roller long enough for it to receive an overlapping` of the ink delivered thereto from the fountain roller. By thus obviating this overlapping and positively driving the fountain roller while the transfer roller isin yielding contact therewith, an absolutely even distribution of the ink is provided for.

Super-imposed upon the ink distributing roller 36 is a smaller ink distributing roller 55, revolubly mounted in the framework 14 and above this roller 55 the framework 14 is provided with a vertical slot 56, 'in which are mounted the rollers 57, 58, and 59, one above the other. These rollers 57, 58, and 59 are revolved in opposite directions by contact with one another while the lower one is revolved by contact with the ink distributing roller 55. The object of these rollers 55, 58, and 59, is to divide the ink upon the distributing rollers 36 and 55as they rotate alternately in opposite directions, thereby causing a portion of the ink to be transferred directly downwardly through the medium of the distributing roller 35 to the form rollers 34, while another portion thereof is conveyed upwardly around the surfaces of the rollers 57, 58, 59, and 62 and the distributing roller 36, thus making a much more even distribution of the ink than could be secured if these rollers were omitted. By this action the ink thus received will be gradually distributed and conveyed to the distributing rollers 36 and 35, and the form rollers 34.

One or more of the ink distributing rollers may be provided with suitable mechanisms for vibrating them during their revo-- lution if desired, without affecting the principles of the present invention, but as the mechanisms for vibrating the rollers form no part of the presentv invention, they are not shown in the drawings. Y

Positioned immediately below the fountain 15 and above the upper face of the type form 31 is a greatly enlarged roller 60, this roller 60 being mounted on a shaft 61, supported in the brackets 62 adjustably seeured to the framework lli. The periphery of this roll (S0 is adapted to contact with the periphery of one of the form rollers 34-, and owing to the large surtaee of its periphery relative to the smaller' surface of the periphery of the form roller, the distribie tion of inl: upon the forni rollers is made more even. The large roller (it) serves another very useful purpose, for instance, as one of the forni rollers 231i; revolves, it will convey ink to the surface of this roll (St). the entire ivieriphery of which will soon be covered with a supply of ink evenly distributed thereon. TWhen the form passes beneath the form rollers 554i-, it `is obvious that a certain portion of the ink upon the form rollers will be removed therefrom by contacting with the type. its these form rollers con tinue to rotate about their axes, the bare surfaces thereon will again be covered with ink from the supply upon the large roll (i0 before these surfaces could again come into Contact with another portion of the type form. In other words, ordinarily, where the two form rollers are used and the form is being inked, it is obvious that these form rollers will be rotated about their axes, and any portion thereof from which ink has been removed from contact with the type will only be replenished as that portion of the form roller in its rotation comes into contact with 'the distributing roller 55.

Sometimes, through lack of adjustment, or .from some other cause, the portion of the form roller 'from which the ink haslbeen re- ,moved might not come into sufficient contact with -the roller B5 to receive the dew sired amount of fresh ink, and this would be very objectionable because when that portion eame into contact with another portion of the type form, the forni would not he sul'liciently inked and bad results would obtain when the impression was made. ly the use of the large roll (30, however, this objection is wholly overcon'ie, for if one of the rollers filtshould miss in its rotation contact with the roller 35, it would be sare to Contact with the larger roller (i0 and receive sufficient ink on its periphery to insure the proper inking of the forni. rIhe use of this large roller in connection with inl\r distributing apparatus of the form disclosed, has been found to be of great advantage, alw though it is obvious that good results could be obtained from the apparatus under eertain conditions without using it. The same is true of the rollers 57, 5S, and 5f), while considerable advantage is gained from their use. a 'very even distribution of the inl( is e tteeted by means of the other instrun'ientalities, and applicant does not desire to be limitzed to 'the use of either the smaller rollers 57, 58, and 59, or the larger roller 60. "Where the ink is distributed by the use of the construction shown in the drawings. a very perfeet impression secured at all times, en tirely free from the streaks and uneven tints often seen in impressions, especially where bolili'aeed type is used, as fortinstanee in printing calendars and posters, cr where deep solid plates or tint blocks are used in the form.

lVliile the apparatus is shown in connection with one type of cylinder press, it is self-evident that it could be adai'iled to any type of cylinder press. and, b v slight moditications, used in connection with ordinary job presses.

lt is believed that the operation andinany advantages of the invention will be thoroughly understoml from the foregoing.

Having thus les ':ribed my invention, I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with a form roller and rollers adapted to distribute the inl( and transfer' it to said form roller; a fountain roller; a swinging frame; a roller mounted therein and adapted to transfer inl; from said fountain roller to said distributing rollers; means for positively rotating said foun tain roller; and mechanism for retaining said swinging roller during a complete revolution thereof in contact with the fountain roller and then moving it out of contact with said fountain roller and into contact with the distributing rollers.

2. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a form roller and rollers adapted to distribute the inl( and transfer it to said form roller; a fountain roller; a swinging frame; a roller mounted therein and adapted to transfer ink from said fountain roller to said distributing rollers; means for positively rotating said fountain roller; and mechanism for moving said swinging roller into contact with the :fountain roller, retaining it temporarily in contact therewith during a complete revolution of said transfer roller, and moving it'. away from said fountain roller at the commencement of a second revolution of said transfer roller and causing it to contact with a distributing roller.

3. ln a device of the class described, the combination with an ink fountain roller; means for positively rotating said roller; inl( distributing rollers; and a transfer roller adapted to contact normally with one of said ink distributing rollers and to be moved into contact with said fountain roller and retained in contact therewith during a complete revolution of said transfer roller and then move outl of contact therewith.

4. Tn a device of the class described, the combination with a positively revolved inl; fountain roller; an ink distributing roller; a transfer roller; a support therefor; means connected with'said support for normally retaining said transfer roller in Contact with said distributing roll-er; and means for moving said support into position so that said transferv roller Will Contact With said fountain roller and be retained in such contact during a complete revolution of said transfer roller and then move out of contact therewith.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a positively revolved ink fountain roller; an ink distributing roller; a transfer `roller; a support therefor; means connected with said support for normally retaining said transfer roller"`in Contact;

with said distributing roller; and cam mechanism for moving said support into position so that said transfer roller Will Contact With said fountain roller and be retained in such Contact during a complete revolution of said transfer roller and then move out of Contact therewith. l

Signed by me at 4 P. O. Sq., Boston, Mass., this 7th day of January, 1911.

WALTER N. BATES. Vitnesses:

WALTER E. LOMBARD, f NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofl Patents. Washington, D. C. 

